Sign hanging structure



W. SCHUBERT SIGN HANGING STRUCTURE Filed March 30, 1965 Sept. 27, 1966 liar/aria? gzuri W 9. W

United States Patent 3,274,719 SIGN HANGING STRUCTURE Wilfrietl Schubert, Northlake, 111., assignor t0 Wagner Sign Service, Inc., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 443,793 14 Claims. (Cl. 40142) This invention relates to display signs and more spe- .cifically concerns a novel means for hanging letters, numerals, characters, images, replicas and other indicia from an associated support.

The invention is particularly directed to changeable copy. In current signs, the letters, etc., are normally notched and hung upon support bars which are formed into the background structure of the sign, as for example, shown in US. Patent 2,607,146. Such mounting poses problems in outdoor displays where the sign is subjected to strong winds, storms and inclemencies of the weather.

A general object of the invention is to provide a novel hanging bar attachable to the indicia such as a letter, character, etc., and which releasably interlocks with the support bar upon which the indicia is normally mounted.

Specifically, the invention contemplates the provision of a novel mounting bar comprising a pair of opposed jaws defining a support-bar receiving slot, the slot being formed to cited: a wedging fit with a support bar for releasable securement thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hanging bar having a tapered slot complementarily engageable with the upwardly and outwardly protruding lips of a copy board.

The invention further comprehends providing a feather edge on the lower edge of one of the jaws forming the hanging bar to facilitate temporary placement and arrangement of the indicia on the mounting lips of a sign board, the indicia after having been arranged being interlocked with the respective lips by slight downward pressure on the indicia.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel hanging bar comprising opposing jaws having confronting sides defining a mounting slot, one side of the slot being slightly convex and the other generally flat and the convex side being slightly deformable to obtain intimate contact with one side of a tapered lip provided on the sign structure from which the indicia on the hanger is mounted, the other lip being flexible transversely of the lip structure to bias the lips in tight frictional contact with the mounting lip.

The invention also contemplates such a mounting bar wherein one of the jaws is an angle structure having a pair of flange portions joined substantially in a 90 angle to add rigidity to the bar as well as to provide an extensive area gluing or solvent welding area for attaching the bar to the display indicia such as a letter, etc.

It is contemplated that the hanging bar will be fabricated mostly from plastics material. However, the in- 'vention is not restricted thereto, it being understood that it may be made of metal such as extruded aluminum, rolled steel bar and the hanging bars being welded or soldered to metal letters, etc.

These and other objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed by the invention will become more.

readily apparent from the specification and the drawings, wherein:

3,274,719 Patented Sept. 27, 1965 FIGURE 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a portion of a sign structure in association with a character incorporating the novel hanging bar applied thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a rear view of a letter with the novel hanging bar thereon;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional View of the hanging bar.

Describing the invention in detail and having particular reference to the drawings there is shown a sign structure generally designated 2 which incorporates a plurality of background panels 3 arranged in vertically aligned relation as shown in the aforementioned US. patent. The upper portion of each panel 3 has an upwardly and forwardly angled segment 5 which at its upper end terminates in an upwardly tapered lip structure 6 which has front and rear wedging surfaces 7 and 8. These surfaces 7 and 8 merge into an upwardly convcxed apex 9. It will be seen that the lip 6 is substantially thicker than the panel portion 5 to rigidity the upper edge of the panel structure and to develop the aforementioned wedging surfaces.

Only one lip structure is shown. However, it will be realized that such lip structures are arranged in vertically spaced increments and one or more of such lip structures are adapted to support the character or letter depending upon the size of the latter.

In the embodiment chosen for illustration the letter 10 comprises a front wall 12 and a peripheral flange 14 outlining the letter. The flange 14 is provided with a horizontal notch 16 which complementally admits a horizontally extending rib or web 18 of the hanging bar generally designated 20.

The rib 18 runs along the top of the bar 20 and fits between the top and bottom edges 22, 24 of the notch 16 and is suitably glued or welded as at 26, 28 to the adjacent portion of the flange 14. The front edge 30 of the web 18 seats against the front edge 32 of the horizontal notch 16. It will be realized that the bar extends the full width of the letter, etc., and such notch and entry and securement of web 18 to flange 14 is effected in each notch as heretofore described.

The top web continues into the top edge 34 of a rearwardly-and downwardly extending outer or rear jaw portion 36 which is transversely flexible and provides a sub stantially flat interior surface 38.

The lower edge 40 is termed a featheredge and is developed by beveling the outer side 42 of the rear jaw portion 36. The featheredge extends rearwardly and downwardly beyond the lower edge 46 of the upper surface 48 of the inner jaw 50 of the hanging or clamp bar. This permits temporarily hanging of the letters, etc., on the upper edge or vertex 9 preparatory to arranging the letters or other indicia laterally across the sign board. The featheredge guides the hanging bar onto the support lip.

The front jaw 50 of the hanging bar is preferably of triangular cross-section to increase its transverse rigidity and strength. The contour of the inner jaw provides a downwardly and forwardly facing guide surface 52 which converges upwardly with the inner face 38 of the rear jaw. Thus the placement of the letter, etc., upon the lip is readily accomplished, the hanging bar surface 52 facilitating entry of the vertex 9 into the lower end of the downwardly open wedge slot 56 developed between the surface 48 and the surface 38.

In effect the juncture of surfaces 48, 52 forms a cam lobe 58 which, particularly in the plastic structure is deformable slightly transversely of the lip to obtain conformance with the surface 7 while the rear flap or lip 36 springs rearWa-rdly attendant to wedgiug of the lip between the front and rear jaws pursuant to the letter etc. being urged downwardly into secured or engaged position.

It will be understood that the term letter is used to encompass any structure to be hung.

Preferably the surface 48 is slightly convexed toward the confronting face 38.

The portion 60 at the upper end of the jaw 50 is thickened to provide adequate juncture section with the top flange adjacent to the top edge 62 of the wedge slot 56.

The front side 64 of the front jaw structure may be flat.

It will be realized that the area developed by the section of the front jaw is extensive and provides for good connection with the flange 14.

The structure of the hanging or mounting bar has been found in actual practice to provide a firm and effective securement for the letters to the sign board support bars. Not only is the releasable attachment secure, but the guidance surfaces and the overhang of the rear lip of the hanging bar facilitate placement of the letters on the support bars of the sign.

Furthermore, the section of the front jaw increases the rigidity of the hanging bar and affords adequate section to obtain a good weldment of the bar structure with the peripheral portions of the letter.

The top wall of the hanging bar further rigidifies the bar in horizontal planes and the top wall entering into the notch in the peripheral flanges of the letter obtains a mechanical interlock of the parts.

It will be realized that the rear edge 66 of the portion 36 is beveled to form a feathered edge such that this edge parallels the opposing panel section 2 and in the mounted position of the letter 10 the face 66 will either seat against section 2 or parallel the .same in close proximity thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A sign structure, comprising: means providing a background panel having upwardly extending elongated rigid camming support surfaces, at least one sign indicia, and means for hanging said indicia on said panel having downwardly extending semi-rigid jaw means, spaced jaw surfaces being outwardly of the sign indicia and effective to be yieldingly cammed apart by said panel camming surfaces for removably providing a connection therebetween, at least one of said camming surfaces having portions disposed at different angles to the opposing surface of the jaw means and being widely spaced at the open end of the jaw means.

2. A sign structure as in claim 1, in which said sign indicia comprises at least one member having a body provided with peripheral flanges extending rearwardly from the plane of said body and having aligned notches provided in the edge of portions of said flanges, said means for hanging having a lateral web extending commensurate to the width of said sign indicia and disposed within said notches, said web being fused to said peripheral flanges to form a rigid permanent connection therebetween.

3. A sign structure as in claim 1, in which said means for hanging has a lateral web and said jaw means has a lobe depending from said web carrying one of said spaced jaw surfaces, a rear flap depending from said web carrying the other of said spaced jaw surfaces, said lobe surface being continuously arcuate and effective to define a slot with said flap in the unflexed condition thereof which slot is narrowest adjacent said web.

4. A sign structure as in claim 3, in which said jaw surface of the flap is continuously flat.

5. A sign structure, comprising: a background panel having a generally flat body disposed in an upright position and carrying an upwardly extending lip biased outwardly from the plane of said body, said lip forming a narrow terminating edge, and a hanging means comprising a lateral web effective to mount sign indicia, jaw portions being elongated generally the lateral extent of the sign indicia and depending from said web outwardly of the sign indicia and each presenting an oppositely facing surface effective to define an unstressed tapered slot with an open end for receiving the lip of said background panel, said jaw surfaces being effective to be stressed apart upon insertion of said panel lip therebetween for releasably locking said hanging means on the panel, one of said jaw surfaces diverging abruptly from the other surface at the open end of the slot and inwardly of the said open end of the slot converging at a narrow acute angle with said other surface and spaced therefrom less than the thickness of the lip.

6. In a sign structure having three-dimensional sign indicia each provided with a hanging bar being elongated generally the lateral extent of the sign indicia and having a mounting socket projecting outwardly of the sign indicia and extending downward and provided with yieldable surfaces, a mounting panel comprising: a flat body effective to be carried in an upright position for supporting the hanging bar, said body having an upwardly terminating rigid lip forwardly from the plane of said body, said lip having tapering by spaced wedgiug surfaces, and one of said surfaces in the socket being curved and the crest of curvature being within the socket.

7. The mounting panel as in claim 6, in which the minimum spacing between the wedgiug surfaces is greater than the thickness of said flat body, and said socket being formed of yieldable plastic material whereby said surfaces thereon are adapted to conform to said wedgiug surfaces.

8. A sign structure comprising: means providing a background panel having at least one elongated segment provided with a flat body disposed in a generally upright direction and having an elongated lip extending outwardly from the upper portion of said body and biased relative to the plane of said body, said lip being defined by wedging surfaces tape-red in a manner to converge toward a narrowed termination, a sign indicia comprised of one or more members having a body provided with peripheral flanges extending rearwardly from the plane of said body and carrying aligned notches therein; and means for hanging said sign indicia on said panel segment comprising at least one hanging bar which is less in transverse extent than said panel segment but commensurate-with the lateral extent of the sign indicia, said hanging bar having a transverse web integrally connected within the notches of said sign indicia, a lobe depending from said web and carrying an arcuate camming surface, a rear flap depending from said web and carrying a fiat complementary camming surface facing the camming surface of said lobe, said camming surfaces defining a slot for receiving the wedging surfaces of said panel segment for providing a releasable lock therebetween.

9. The sign structure as in claim 8, in which the web of said hanging bar and the front wall of said lobe are both fused to the intersecting portions of said sign indicia to provide a permanent rigid connection therebetween.

It). A sign structure as in claim 8, in which the biased lip of said background panel extends outwardly from the plane of said body to form an included angle therebetween generally equal to 30 degrees.

11. A sign structure as in claim 8, in which the juncture of said lobe with the web of said hanging bar defines a neck generally equal in transverse thickness to the transverse thickness of said web.

12. A sign structure as in claim 8, in which the rearward flap terminates in a feather-edge effective to facilitate temporary mounting of said hanging bar on said mounting panel segment in partial manner.

13. A sign structure as in claim 8, in which said web extends across the top portion of said hanging bar and is defined by a generally fiat horizontal upper surface.

14. A sign structure as in claim 8, in which said sign indicia and hanging bar are each comprised of polyethylene plastic thermally fused together.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1964 Ownby 40-140 3/1965 Lachenmeier 40-140 

1. A SIGN STRUCTURE, COMPRISING: MEANS PROVIDING A BACKGROUND PANEL HAVING UPWARDLY EXTENDING ELONGATED RIGID CAMMING SUPPORT SURFACES, AT LEAST ONE SIGN INDICIA, AND MEANS FOR HANGING SAID INDICIA ON SAID PANEL HAVING DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING SEMI-RIGID JAW MEANS, SPACED JAW SURFACES BEING OUTWARDLY OF THE SIGN INDICIA AND EFFECTIVE TO BE YIELDING CAMMED APART BY SAID PANEL CAMMING SURFACES FOR REMOVABLY PROVIDING A CONNECTION THEREBETWEEN, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID CAMMING SURFACES HAVING PORTIONS DISPOSED AT DIFFERENT ANGLES TO THE OPPOSING SURFACE OF THE JAW MEANS AND BEING WIDELY SPACED AT THE OPEN END OF THE JAW MEANS. 